Important information

This site uses cookies to store information on your computer. By continuing to use our site, you consent to Steel Media's
privacy policy.

Steel Media websites use two types of cookie: (1) those that enable the site to function and perform as required; and (2) analytical cookies which anonymously track visitors only while using the site. If you are not happy with this use of these cookies please review our Privacy Policy to learn how they can be disabled. By disabling cookies some features of the site will not work.

VERDICT

Star Marine: Infinite Ammo is a 'classic' shooter in almost ever sense of the phrase; its design philosophy may bring back the challenging and fun over the top insanity of the days of old, but it also brings back an Arcade-like brutality that rewards memorization over skill.

Full Review

App Store Info

Some games walk a fine edge between success and failure - sometimes it's hard to know the precipice is even there at times, which makes it all the more surprising when you plunge right over it. Star Marine: Infinite Ammo by GlitchSoft doesn't quite fall in to that extreme category, but its handful of minor bugaboos and oh-so-easy to mess up upgrade system can leave you experiencing an almost entirely different game to what others might describe to you.

Star Marine places you in the combat boots of a typically paper-thin brick-headed action hero intent on mass destruction of an entire race of robots because he can. You know, the usual motivation of a classic shooter from the 80s and early 90s. Speaking of which the first impression you'll have of the game is exactly that of a classic platformer, notably Contra with its basic left/right/duck controls and jump/fire buttons and 8-direction firing.

At this point the cracks start to appear and the level designs (though resplendent in their 16-bit pixel-art style) don't ever seem to take this method of firing in to account. Enemy position, ramps and other level features seem to be designed specifically to counter the marine's 45 degree shooting angles, though weapon pick-ups (unlocked via earned gems) can make up for this shortcoming. Rote practice and memorization of levels also helps (allowing you to spawn enemies or shoot at them before they appear), but this removes an element of skill from the equation.

Unfortunately the gem system itself is yet another point of contention, with weapons and upgrades being restricted to those who have farmed earlier levels (or completed various achievements) and it's all too easy to find yourself starved for gems if you choose the wrong upgrades early on. Players are further crippled by the game's system of stockpiled 'lives' that come in limited supply and require gems to replenish (run out of lives and you're stuck with 1 per level until you cough up more gems).

However, when things go right, Star Marine: Infinite Ammo comes off as the perfect throwback to a bygone era of mindless, brutal and highly rewarding platformers that made you feel like a badass. Big guns, big bosses and plenty of enemies to slaughter - it's testosterone fueled mayhem and it's hard not to be pulled in.

Sadly the darker side of Star Marine lurks in the shadows, ready to take over and flip the fun and turn it in to something frustrating.

Description

Star Marine: Infinite Ammo is an impeccably fast paced, console grade run n' gun action game that fully utilizes the gaming power of Apple's latest touch devices. Gamers will quickly recognize Star Marine's style of play and enjoy the game's level of precision and polish.

Description:
Star Marine: Infinite Ammo is the definitive Run n’ Gun experience! You play as Arc, a battle hardened drifter who is captured by an alien race in the depths of space. Arc’s capturers plan to enslave him and put his strength to work. But, Arc has other plans. He is a trained and elite Star Marine and in a fury of bullets he is going to take them all down!

CHOOSE YOUR WEAPON
Select from 7 high power weapons with infinite ammo. Will you choose The XF Combustor for roasting flying insect attackers or the The Reaper for seeking out and destroying strategic targets? Upgrade and advance all 7

OUTFIT YOUR MARINE
Equip and carry up to 2 weapons and several battle aids with you into each battle. Tailor your arsenal to inflict maximum damage on organic and mechanical boss and enemy types!

ADDITIONAL WAYS TO PLAY: BOSS RUSH & SURVIVAL MODE
Compete for the fastest time to beat all 10 bosses or test your skill against wave after wave of enemies!

CHALLENGES AND GAME CENTRE ACHIEVEMENTS
Complete up to 80 unique game challenges and over 30 Game Centre Achievements. Compete with friends in the Game Centre Leaderboards

What's New in Version 1.0.1

- slightly increased the speed of the game to increase pacing and reduce floaty feel
- minor performance increase across all devices
- added a few new challenges
- increased gem reward for completing challenges
- fixed rare crash where player has reached the end of the level by only using their secondary weapon but loose it before the level is ended
- fixed issue with game center achievement notification not being displayed correctly
- fixed game freezing when submitting leaderboard data during no connection
- slightly reduced cost of some weapons
- increased gem reward for challenges
- added platform in level 2 so performing a double jump is not required to progress
- increased frame skipping on second generation iPod Touch for better performance on second generation iPod Touch